The invention relates to a dual cassette tape recorder which is adapted to be used with either compact cassette or micro-cassette.
The term compact cassette is defined herein as a cassette which is typically exemplified by a width of 63.8mm, a length of 100.4mm and a thickness of 12.0mm while the term micro-cassette refers to a tape cassette of a size which is typically on the order of 50.0mm long. 33.0mm wide and 8.0mm thick.
Both kinds of tape cassettes have been used with respective dedicated tape recorders, but with the widespread use of tape recorders, it is desirable to provide a tape recorder capable of receiving either one of the two types. To achieve this end, it is necessary to provide two pairs of capstans and pinch rollers in the tape recorder which are associated with the respective types of tape cassettes. Each pair of capstan and pinch rollers must maintain such a spatial relationship therebetween or abutting relationship with the tape that an optimum and uniform operating condition is established with respect to either type of tape cassette. However, there has been no such dual cassette tape recorder available which satisfies these requirements.